Dianthus plant named ‘Floriemerald’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named ‘Floriemerald’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely flowering habit; spray-type inflorescence form; and dark purple-colored flowers positioned upright on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Dianthus caryophyllus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FLORIEMERALD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthusplant, botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, typically growncommercially as a cut flower or as a potted plant and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Floriemerald’.

The new Dianthus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia. Theobjective of the breeding program was to develop new Dianthus plantswith attractive and unique flower coloration.

The new Dianthus is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofDianthus caryophyllus ‘Cerise Westpearl’, not patented. The new Dianthusplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant within a population of plants of ‘Cerise Westpearl’ in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia inJuly, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus plant by terminal cuttingspropagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bundoora, Victoria,Australia since February, 2007 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Dianthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Floriemerald’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Floriemerald’ as a new and distinct cultivarof Dianthus plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely flowering habit.    -   3. Spray-type inflorescence form.    -   4. Dark purple-colored flowers positioned upright on strong        peduncles.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ from plants of the parent, ‘CeriseWestpearl’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus are shorter and have shorter        internodes than plants of ‘Cerise Westpearl’.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Dianthus and ‘Cerise Westpearl’        differ in flower color as plants of ‘Cerise Westpearl’ have red        purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Dianthus can be compared to plants of the Dianthus‘Florijade’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,515. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Bundoora, Victoria, Australia, plants of thenew Dianthus differed from plants of ‘Florijade’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus had shorter internodes than plants        of ‘Florijade’.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Dianthus had more petals than        flowers of plants of ‘Florijade’.    -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus had longer peduncles than plants        of ‘Florijade’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Dianthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Dianthus plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Floriemerald’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical leaf, flower bud, opened flower and petals of ‘Floriemerald’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following observationsand measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 22-cmcontainers in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse in Bundoora, Victoria,Australia and under conditions and practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial Dianthus production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C., night temperaturesaveraged 18° C. and light levels averaged 1.19 kilolux. Plants were 26weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Floriemerald’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Dianthus    caryophyllus ‘Cerise Westpearl’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three to four            weeks at soil temperatures of 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; creamy white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Upright plant habit; narrow inverted triangle;            spray-type inflorescence form; axillary branching; strong            stems.        -   Plant height.—About 92 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 15 cm to 18 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 81 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Internode length: About 6.5 mm. Node length: About 4 mm.            Node diameter: About 6 mm. Texture: Glabrous, glaucous.            Color: Close to 137B; at the nodes, close to 192A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Decurrent, sheathing.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, glaucous.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            138A. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 138A; venation, close to 138A.        -   Flower description.—Flower type and habit: Large double            flowers; flowers terminal and axillary in cymose sprays;            freely flowering habit with numerous flowers developing per            plant; flowers positioned on strong peduncles; flowers face            mostly upright. Fragrance: None detected. Natural flowering            season: Flowering is continuous through the summer and late            summer in Australia; plants begin flowering about 167 days            after planting. Flower longevity: Flowers last about 18 days            on the plant; flowers persistent. Flower buds: Length: About            2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Cylindrical. Color:            Close to 138A.-   Corolla:    -   -   Quantity of petals/arrangement.—About 42 per flower arranged            in several whorls; imbricate.        -   Corolla height.—About 2.6 cm.        -   Petal length.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Petal width.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Petal shape.—Roughly obdeltoid.        -   Petal apex.—Praemorse.        -   Petal base.—Acute.        -   Petal margin.—Crenate to entire.        -   Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Petal color.—When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to N78A; towards the base, close to 145D. Fully opened,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to N78A; towards the base,            close to 145D.        -   Calyx.—Quantity of sepals/arrangement: Six in a single            whorl. Calyx height: About 2.9 cm. Calyx diameter, at the            apex: About 1.6 cm. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Glabrous, glaucous. Color: Close            to 138A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About eight per            flower; anthers dorsifixed. Filament length: About 1.6 cm.            Filament color: Close to 156D. Anther length: About 3.1 mm.            Anther diameter: About 0.9 mm. Anther color: Close to 156D.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pistils: Quantity: One, bi-parted.            Pistil length: About 3.2 cm. Style length: About 1.8 mm            Style color: Close to 155A. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.            Stigma color: Close to 155A. Ovary size: About 8 mm by 6 mm.            Ovary shape: Obovoid. Ovary color: Towards the apex, close            to 145A; towards the base, close to 155A. Fruits/seeds:            Fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants            of the new Dianthus.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dianthus have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dianthus    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −2° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘Floriemerald’ as illustratedand described.